Former Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, has alleged that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is systematically dismantling Nigeria’s democracy through what he described as “imperial acts” aimed at coercing the opposition into submission.
Speaking to journalists in his Kano office on Tuesday, Lamido claimed that the Federal Government and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are weaponising state institutions to intimidate political opponents, forcing them to join the ruling party under duress.
“Today, Tinubu is using state institutions to crush the opposition through intimidation, blackmail, harassment, and government patronage,” Lamido stated.
“A clear example is Okowa, who was the PDP vice presidential candidate. He suddenly faced charges of ₦1.3 trillion from the EFCC, and after joining the APC, those charges disappeared.”
READ ALSO; Sule Lamido vows to join forces to unseat President Tinubu in 2027
Drawing parallels with past comments by former APC Chairman Adams Oshiomhole, Lamido criticised the notion that joining the APC offers blanket immunity from prosecution.
“As Oshiomhole once said, no matter your crime, once you join APC, you will be forgiven. That is why people who feel guilty are joining. It’s a serious danger to democracy,” he warned.
Lamido lamented the deepening divisions in the country and accused the current administration of deliberately fracturing the federation along regional and ethnic lines.
“Nigeria is no longer a united federation. Tinubu is acting like an emperor, politically deciding who survives and who is crushed,” he said. “The government is dividing the North Central from the rest of the North, and stoking tensions between the South East and South South, all for political gain.”
On the topic of growing opposition unity talks ahead of 2027, Lamido dismissed the current coalition efforts as lacking substance and historical grounding.
“People are now panicking, and in that panic, there is talk of coalitions. But the one we had in 2014 was organic, built around institutions—CPC, ACN, ANPP—not individuals,” he explained. “What we see today is a loose assembly of individuals—Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai—not functioning political bodies.”
READ ALSO: We must rescue Nigeria’s democracy – Sule Lamido backs ADC-led opposition coalition
Lamido stressed that any credible coalition must be based on shared values, not personal ambitions or vendettas.
“A real coalition must define its purpose: democracy, unity, stability, and national prosperity—not revenge or desperation,” he asserted.
He reaffirmed his loyalty to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying his political identity remains firmly rooted in the party that shaped his career.
“I remain in the PDP. I can’t walk out of my skin. PDP made me minister and governor. I was harassed and detained because of my loyalty to the PDP. That legacy matters to me,” Lamido said.
While open to any alliance led by or rooted in the PDP, Lamido was unequivocal: “I will support any arrangement that aims to secure Nigeria in 2027, but certainly not one involving Tinubu or the APC.”
